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Nick Wagoner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As Robert Saleh confronted profession uncertainty for the primary time shortly in the course of the offseason, he knew one factor for certain: If he was going to return to being a defensive coordinator, he wished to do it with the San Francisco 49ers.
After the Niners parted methods with coordinator Nick Sorensen in January, the crew shortly locked in on hiring Saleh. And, barring one other head teaching alternative, Saleh had an identical thought in thoughts. When Saleh did not land the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ head job, he got here again to the 49ers on Jan. 25, reuniting with coach Kyle Shanahan and the franchise that gave him his first coordinator alternative.
Talking to Bay Space media for the primary time since his return Thursday, Saleh stated his loyalty to the Niners is a product of not simply the prospect they initially supplied him in 2017 but additionally of how they caught by him when his first two years as coordinator did not go effectively.
“I’ve an incredible quantity of respect for this group,” Saleh stated. “If you concentrate on these first two years because the coordinator in ’17 and ’18, it wasn’t straightforward, and it might have been very straightforward for them to maneuver on for me. I am indebted to this group, to these males for the remainder of my life. They caught with me, and we made it occur. We did what we wanted to do, and the remaining is historical past. I am excited in regards to the alternative to get an opportunity to do it once more with them.”
Certainly, lengthy earlier than the New York Jets employed Saleh as head coach, he’d been planted firmly on the recent seat in San Francisco. As a first-time defensive coordinator within the early levels of a franchise overhaul, Saleh’s preliminary two defenses completed twenty fifth and twenty eighth in factors allowed in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
However Shanahan stood by Saleh, noting that the protection wanted to proceed including expertise. By 2019, that unit boasted a fearsome line that includes tackles DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead and ends Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. The Niners had Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw at linebacker with veteran cornerback Richard Sherman main the secondary.
That season, the protection turned the spine of a crew that went to Tremendous Bowl LIV. Saleh’s protection completed within the high eight within the NFL in factors allowed, yards allowed, takeaways, defensive anticipated factors added, yards per play allowed and passing yards per recreation allowed, amongst different classes.
Following the 2020 season, Saleh headed to the Jets, the place he compiled a 20-36 document earlier than his firing in October. Now, Saleh returns to San Francisco with hopes that he can return a once-proud protection again to dominance.
San Francisco gave up 25.6 factors per recreation (twenty ninth within the NFL), had a defensive EPA of -57.71 (twenty sixth) and got here up with simply 17 turnovers pressured (tied for twentieth) in 2024. Over the ultimate three video games, the Niners averaged 38.7 factors and 404.3 yards allowed with out a takeaway.
Although Saleh nonetheless leans closely on most of the Seattle-style defensive rules and slogans from his earlier stint in San Francisco (he was carrying a black bracelet with “All Gasoline, No Brake” in white letters Thursday), he stated the protection has advanced from when he was final in purple and gold.
“You are all the time attempting to remain two years forward of offense,” Saleh stated. “After we went to the Jets, there was plenty of various things that we began to do, and even now whereas we now have some issues from the Jets, there’s stuff that has advanced over the course of the final 4 years right here, and clearly with the league that there is stuff occurring.
“Over this offseason, plenty of actually cool ideas, plenty of actually cool issues. Some issues are the identical, some issues are the identical from the Jets, some issues are meshed, some issues are coming in that is new. … Quite a lot of it might appear comparable however there’s plenty of nuances that makes a distinction.”
As Saleh acknowledged Thursday, a lot of his problem in 2025 shall be bringing alongside the younger defenders the Niners must lean on early of their careers. Greenlaw, cornerback Charvarius Ward, defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins, finish Leonard Floyd and security Talanoa Hufanga departed in free company.
Warner, Bosa and defensive sort out Kevin Givens are the one 49ers defenders nonetheless on the roster from Saleh’s earlier flip as coordinator. And the Niners used their first 5 picks within the draft on defensive gamers for the primary time since 1981, including finish Mykel Williams, tackles Alfred Collins and CJ West, linebacker Nick Martin and cornerback Upton Stout.
A number of of these rookies shall be anticipated to start out, or a minimum of play, immediately. They will start that course of this weekend because the Niners maintain their rookie minicamp.
“[It’s] a extremely cool group of youngsters which are coming in,” Saleh stated. “All are going to have a possibility to compete to get vital enjoying time this yr. However it’s thrilling to get simply the injection of youth to go together with plenty of the veterans that we now have on this soccer crew. … It may be enjoyable to work on.”
So far within the offseason program, Saleh hasn’t had the chance to do a lot on the sector with any of his defensive gamers. That can occur quickly sufficient when the crew begins organized crew actions on the finish of the month.
Beginning then, Saleh will get to once more match wits with Shanahan and new offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak.
“He clearly has plenty of expertise, actually good defensive coach,” Kubiak stated. “We’ve not achieved a ton of simply sitting down speaking X’s and O’s, however clearly watching the Jets protection previous couple of years going in opposition to them, only a ton of respect for his or her scheme and the way onerous these guys play. And so, it is going to be enjoyable competing in opposition to these guys in coaching camp and within the offseason.”
As for Saleh changing into a head coach once more, Shanahan beforehand famous that he understands that may all the time be a risk and that if one other alternative presents itself, it’ll possible imply good issues are occurring for the 49ers.
Over the ultimate months of final season, Saleh labored as a marketing consultant for Inexperienced Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur, considered one of his closest buddies within the enterprise. Saleh known as that point “therapeutic” because it allowed him to keep away from spending time dwelling on what occurred in New York.
Nonetheless, Saleh might have taken a yr away from soccer had he wished to recharge the battery. Like taking a unique coordinator job, that wasn’t actually an choice.
“We’re creatures of behavior,” Saleh stated. “It sounds good [to] get up each morning, take my youngsters to highschool, go golf after which go watch tape. However teaching ball was all the time choice one.”
